Lady&#39;s handbag



W. DENIS LADYS HANDBAG Dec. 15, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 28, 1958 DE/V/S INVENTOR,

A TTQEIVEX Dec. 15, 1959 W. DENIS LADY S HANDBAG Filed April 28, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. W41 75? 0A /1//S ma. w

ATTOXNEK United Sttes Patent O LADYS HANDBAG Walter Denis, New York, N.Y. Application April 28, 1958, Serial No. 731,502 4 2 Claims. (Cl. 40152.2)

The present invention isdirected to a ladys handbag, and more particularly to a ladys handbag which is both more useful and more decorative than conventional handbags.

This invention has as an object the provision of a novel ladys handbag.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention there is shown in the drawings a form which is presently preferred; it being understood, however, that this invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown. 1

Referring to the drawings wherein like reference characters refer to like parts:

Figure l is a perspective view of the ladys handbag of the present invention disposed in open disposition with the outside of a decorated cover of such handbag facing the viewer.

Figure 2 is a perspective View of the ladys handbag of the present invention with the illuminated mirror on the inside of such ladys handbag facing the viewer.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Figure 2 Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a schematic view revealing the electrical hook-up of the component elements comprising the electrical circuit of the handbag of the present invention.

The handbag of the present. invention is designated generally as 10. It is to be understood that the handbag may assume a wide variety of shapes, and that the rectangular prismatic shape shown in the drawings constitutes but one embodiment.

The handbag 10 comprises the covers 12 and 14 which are hingedly secured together by hinge 16.

'Each of the covers 12 and 14 may be surfaced by an attractive material or fabric, such as cloth, leather, plastic or the like, and may be lined with any one of a wide variety of suitable materials which are normally used to line ladies handbags.

The covers 12 and 14 are provided with mating lock means 18, which mating lock means 18 enables the covers 12 and 1-4 to be selectively secured to each other when the bag is in closed disposition. The cover 12 is provided with the gripping handle '20 and the cover 14 is provided with the gripping handle 22 for enabling the user to carry the handbag 10 about. Such gripping handles 20 and 22 are preferably located relatively close to each other so that they may be grasped by a single hand of the user. A wide variety of grasping handles may be used in the handbag 10 of the present invention.

The cover 12 of handbag 10 is provided with an external flashlight bulb 24 in one side of the cover 12. If desired, the bulb may be positioned in the outer wall 26 of cover 12 and disposed within a grommet 28 as shown particularly in Figure 3, or the bulb 24 may be positioned at a spaced distance from the outer wall 26, with a flashlight focusing lens being provided within 2,916,841 Patented Dec. 15-, 1959 the outer wall 26 for obtaining optimum use of the illumination provided by the flashlight bulb 24.

A three-way switch 30 is provided on the outer wall 26 of cover 12, such switch 30 being provided in the illustrated embodiment on the end wall of cover 12 which is opposite to the end wall carrying thefiashlight bulb 24.

The cover 12 includes an interior wall 32. which is spaced from the outer wall 26. In the illustrated embodiment, the outer wall 26 and the interior wall 32. are both formed of rigid durable material, as for example hard plastic, with the interior wall 32 being anchored to the outer wall 26 by being engaged with the projections 34 from the outer wall 26. Thus, anchorage bolts 36 extend through the interior wall 32 and are threadably secured in the projections 34 which extend inwardly from, the outer Wall 26. The projections 34 divide the space intermediate the interior wall 32 and the outer wall 26. into compartments in which the batteries 38 and. the picture bulbs 40 are located.

A- mirror 42 is positioned on the interior wall 32 of cover 12. The mirror 42 is surmounted bythe mirror bulb 44 which is mounted on the interior face of outer wall 26 and extends through the interior wall 32 within a grommet 46 carried in such interior wall 32.

The outer wall 26 is preferably slotted and provided with a picture frame 48 (see in particular Figure 1). The picture frame 48 may be formed of a plurality of mitered strips secured by screws to the outer wall 26 of cover 12. v The picture frame 48 anchors the transparent window 50 to the outer wall 26.

A picture or decorative object 52 is removably carried against the outer face of the interior wall 32 within a slot formed intermediate such interior wall 32 and the projections 34. Such picture 52 may be seen through the transparent window 50.

The picture bulbs 40 are preferably spaced at each side of the transparent window 50, and may be shielded from the transparent window 50 by inwardly projecting channels 54 which project inwardly from the outer wall 26.

The picture 52 may be readily replaced at the desire of the user of the handbag 10, since access to the picture 52 is had by unscrewing the bolts 36 and releasing the interior wall 32 from its engagement with the projections 34.

This arrangement permits the user of the handbag 10 to replace the picture 52 to suit her will. For example, during the Christmas season, the picture 52 may present a Christmas or winter scene, while during spring the picture 52 may present spring flowers, etc. Alternatively, the user may wish to change the picture in order to coordinate the same with the particular outfit which she is wearing on the given occasion on which she is carrying her handbag 10.

A schematic wiring circuit is shown in Figure 5. It will be seen therein that the three-way switch 30 (and by three-way switch as used herein is meant a switch which can be selectively positioned to energize the flashlight bulb 2-4, or the picture bulbs 40, or the mirror bulb 44 and which also contains an off position which is shown assumed in Figure 5) is disposed intermediate the batteries 38 and each of the bulbs 24, 40, and 44. The switch 30 should preferably be as small as possible, and should have the various positions disposed in a quadrant relationship. Thus, in the first quadrant assumed by the switch post, all of the bulbs are off; in the second quadrant position assumed by the switch post the flashlight bulb- 24 is on; in the third quadrant position assumed by the switch post the picture bulbs 40 are on; and in the fourth quadrant position assumed by the switch post the mirror bulb 44 is on. As the switch post projects slightly from the outer wall 26 it may be detected by the touch of the fingers of the user, enabling the user to operate the same even though in complete darkness.

A wide variety of sockets may be used for the bulbs, and bracing means for the batteries and sockets form no part of the present invention. Similarly, a wide variety of bulbs and batteries may be utilized. For optimum transportability, the batteries and bulbs should be as light as is consonant with a durable construction.

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof and, accordingly, reference should be made to the appended claims, rather than to the foregoing specification as indicating the scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. In a handbag having a cover, an opaque interior wall spaced from an opaque exterior wall of said cover, a transparent window in the major face of said exterior wall, a picture carried on the outside face of said exterior wall and juxtaposed to said transparent window, a bulb intermediate said interior and exterior walls and adjacent said picture for illuminating said picture, battery means positioned intermediate said interior and exterior walls in communication with said bulb, and switch means carried on said exterior wall, said switch means being in communication with said bulb and said battery means for selectively energizing said bulb.

2. In a handbag having a cover, an opaque interior wall spaced from an opaque exterior wall of said cover, releasable means securing said interior wall in respect to said exterior wall, said releasable means permitting said interior wall to be selectively separated from said handbag, a transparent window in the major face of said exterior wall, a picture replaceably carried on the outside face of said exterior wall and juxtaposed to said transparent window, a bulb intermediate said interior and exterior walls and adjacent said picture for illuminating said picture, battery means positioned intermediate said interior and exterior walls in communication with said bulb, and switch means carried on said exterior wall, said switch means being in communication with said bulb and said battery means for selectively energizing said bulb.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

